John Piacentini, Ph.D., ABPP

Dr. John Piacentini is Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Chief of Child Psychology (in Medical Psychology) in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the UCLA Semel Institute where he directs the Child OCD, Anxiety and Tic Disorders Program, the Center for Child Anxiety, Resilience, Education and Support (CARES), and Tourette Association of America Center of Excellence. He received his PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Georgia and completed post-doctoral training and was a faculty member at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University. A board-certified clinical child and adolescent psychologist, his work focuses on the development and dissemination of science-based individual- and family-based treatments for youth with BFRBs, OCD, tic, and anxiety disorders. Through the UCLA CARES Center, Dr. Piacentini and his team have developed a number of community-based programs aimed at preventing childhood anxiety disorders. He has authored over 300 scientific publications, including seven books, and his research has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, International OCD Foundation, Tourette Association of America, TLC Foundation for BFRBs, and other leading foundations and philanthropic organizations. Dr. Piacentini is also a past-president of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) and the Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, and a founding fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. He is a frequent lecturer and with his team, has trained hundreds of mental health clinicians in cognitive-behavior therapy and other evidence-based treatments and provided care to over 1000 children, adolescents, and their families.